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Discovering Discovery Cove
Discovering Discovery Cove!
The decision was easy; of course everyone in our family desperately wanted to visit Discovery Cove. The hard bit was justifying the money. At over $1, 000 for a family of 4 it’s a decision which cannot be taken lightly.
So after months of saving up our pennies we finally took the plunge and booked tickets. Now the agonising wait for the date to come round.
Handy Hint! They limit the number of people to 1, 000 each day so early booking is essential. We booked up around 6 months before we wanted to go.
The information pack which they send out tell you that you don’t really need to bring anything. They will provide practically everything. Towels, sun cream, food, snorkels, wet suits etc. Really? Gosh, that makes pleasant change.
An early morning alarm call (6am! ) signalled the start of our Discovery Cove Adventure – the waiting was over - it was finally here! Even this early in the morning it promised to be beautiful August day with temperatures predicted at over 100 degrees. Gulp! Slight panic for me (Mum) about having my 2 girls out in the blazing sun all day.
You were able to ‘book-in’ from 8am and we had heard that the earlier you got there, the better it was. So we joined the queue early, received our dolphin swim time of 1. 15pm (non-negotiable) and set off for breakfast. This was buffet style with lots of fresh healthy foods to choose from – yogurts, fruit, cereal, muffins etc. All essential items for keeping up our energy.
Next we were fitted out with wet-suits (for the kids) and life jackets (more like waistcoats) for the adults plus snorkels and suncream (dolphin friendly factor 30).
Everything up until this point had been extremely well organised with no need to push or fight for anything. Surely bagging the sun loungers would be a different story? But no! Again, there were plenty to choose from. Handy hint! Try and get seats which will be in the shade, especially if you have children as it makes a nice break from the heat.
Changing rooms were extremely clean with 3 permanent cleaners to ensure everything was perfect. There was an endless supply of towels, shampoo/conditioner, body lotion etc.
Once we were kitted up, we set off to explore the Cove. We took the Lazy River round to the Fish & Ray tank swim which everyone (apart from Dad) was a bit scared about. However, once the plunge had been taken and we had adjusted to the very cold salt water it was the most beautiful experience.
Handy Hint! Take an underwater camera with you to capture amazing shots.
Next was lunch. Again, like breakfast, the choice of food was very good.
Then our long awaited Dolphin Swim. They promise half an hour of being up close and personal with a dolphin. Cool! We were split into small groups of 6 with 4 groups in each bay. Our trainer was lovely and friendly and our dolphin was called Rascal. And, he lived up to his name! Rather than spending quality time with us humans he wanted to swim around and flirt with all the girl dolphins – typical! The clock was ticking and we were told to be patient and wait for Rascal to return from his flirting. This missed time was made up at the end so no-one lost out.
I won’t ruin the surprise of what actually happens with the dolphins as that’s very special and should be experienced firsthand.
Photographers and video people surround you the whole time so you don’t need to worry about taking your own footage. They put together packages for you to purchase at the end. Pricey but worth it!
The Cove closed at 5pm and we were some of the last to leave.
It had been an amazing day with memories that will last a life time.
Set in beautiful surroundings, with lots of dedicated staff to ensure your experience is a fantastic one.
Yes, of course it’s a lot of money to spend on one day but it is worth it. Trust me.
Author: Victoria Brodie
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